Temperatures that will rise into the upper 30s and 40s and sunshine will increase the avalanche hazard today. Wet slab avalanches and wet loose slides are possible on steep slopes during the warmer portion of the day. Monitor conditions and avoid steep avalanche prone terrain after snow surfaces soften.
Winds slabs up to two feet in depth could be triggered by skiers or riders who venture into steep avalanche starting zones and extreme terrain at the upper elevations and on isolated terrain features at the mid elevations. These slabs will become increasing sensitive to human triggers as temperatures warm and may behave as wet slabs during the warmest portion of the day.
A fast moving cold front will bring rain and snow showers to the area overnight. The freezing level will be around 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Favored locations at the higher elevations could receive 3 to 6 inches of new snow. Most of the higher elevations will get 1 to 3 inches. On Wednesday skies will be mostly cloudy with decreasing snow and rain showers. Temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s in the mountains and in the 30s and 40s in the valleys. Winds will be from the southwest at 25 to 30 with gusts to 40 miles per hour.At the higher elevation the new snow and winds will create shallow pockets of new soft slab. Snow at the lower elevations will be mostly soft and unconsolidated. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the upper elevations and LOW below an elevation of 8,500 feet.
